Trump says US, Canada agree to partial border closure

WASHINGTON

The U.S. and Canada have agreed to close their border to "non-essential traffic" as both countries seek to stem the tide of the coronavirus, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.

The partial closure is not to affect trade, Trump said in a Twitter post. He did not offer additional details, but said they would be forthcoming.

Confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. have passed the 6,500 mark, and total deaths have hit 115, according to an unofficial tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

The university has counted 598 cases in Canada, including 8 deaths.